People with disabilities who live with family and rely on their loved ones for caregiving can be in a tough situation when their loved one is burned out, needing their own medical care or has a reason to travel.
A new respite center run by People Inc. in Amherst hopes to give more families the chance to not compromise much-needed care for time away from caregiving.
"They may have to tend to a medical issue that they're dealing with," said People Inc. CEO Anne McCaffrey to reporters at the house unveiling Monday. "They may have an event out of town that draws them away. They may have a family vacation planned, and all of those reasons really necessitate having adequate care and respite care for their loved one, so that's what this beautiful home is all about."
The new 12-bed, 24-hour Acacia Respite House will double the amount of beds People Inc. previously had available to people with disabilities who need a week or less stay.
The new respite center features individual bedrooms — including some with ceiling lifts and adjustable beds — an accessible tub and walk-in shower, as well as a gated backyard with a gazebo, large kitchen, living room.
McCaffrey said their previous six-bed respite center in Niagara County has been converted to a group home. Previously, the Acacia building was a group home, and the agency was able to renovate Acacia and swap the two locations’ services.
McCaffrey said this will help them tackle a long wait list for this type of care.
"We're usually trying to plan a month or two ahead, and there is a wait list," McCaffrey said. "Up until now, we've had six beds that have been available, and we have consistently filled those six beds every day. So we knew there was a need. We knew the community was looking for more opportunities, so that's why we opened this 12-bed [center], individual bedrooms, fully staffed."
To qualify for respite services, the person must already be served by the Office for People with Developmental Disabilities. Families or people with disabilities interested in the program can contact People Inc. at 833-404-0032.
